Valve with double-acting washer



y 1952 H. R. HARDING VALVE WITH DOUBLE-ACTING WASHER Filed Dec. 17, 1948 mm I INVENTOR. HIRAM R. HARDlNG ATTORNEY Patented July 15, 952

2,603,446] Y s v I VALVE WITH DOUBLE-ACTING WASHER Hiram R."Harding, BaltimorepMdsas signor of "cent to Harry E. Kar'r, Baltimore County, Md; and twenty-five'p'er cent to Logan crflarding, Hopewell, Va. I I 1 Application by a machined head on'a stem or spindle having a washer attached to its face, (into a'recessed seat in the body'of the valve. Thewasher itself is used as a cushion tomake up for the lack of tightness of the seat and head, and. after a relatively short active period, becomes so worn and deformed that it leaks. 'Such'leaks cause a great loss of Water or whatever fluid is controlled, and make the use of the ,valve in that condition expensive to keep and unsatisfactory in operation. The cost is not in the valve structure itself but in the waste induced by it. Also the greater effort required to close the valve tight involves more time and stress than desirable on everything concerned in itsuse. jSu'ch washerslare usually made of 'hard rubber, fibre or composition of a similar nature, which cannot withstand much continuous use without wearing down appreciably and cause the spigot or valve to'leak.

This invention avoids the use of the conventional washer and in its place employs one of thin flexible metal, or material, capable of standing the same stresses. The new washer is formed so that pressure on its middle portion will compress it so its periphery is expanded radially to fit tightly against the inner rim surface of the seat in addition to the rolled surface bearing on the upper surface of the valve seat, when used in the same general way as the common washer.

It has among its objects to provide a new and improved washer unit for valve seating that will provide a new andimproved washer unit that avoid one or more of the disadvantages and limitations of the prior art.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved washer unit for valve seating that will work effectively and wear for an exceptionally long period of use.

A further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved washer unit made of material that is thin and capable of being formed from sheet metal and the like and quickly produced in large quantities at low cost.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a new and improved washer unit that may be readily installed or removed, be light, and of a type that can be packed and shipped inexpensively.

An additional object of the invention is to unit embodying this invention,

v the spigot.

December 17, 1948, Serial No. ssm 3 Claims. (01; 25-1 27) seals the 'top'of "the valve or spigot seat on first contact and'on further pressure forms an additional seal on the inner throat of the seat.'.

A Otherobjects of the invention will become apparent as it'is more'fully'described.

In order to explain the invention moreclearly, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, wherein afparticularform of the invention is illustrated ,These drawings in conjunction with the 'followingdescription bring out the principies and operation of the device. while the claims emphasize the scope of the invention;

Referring to the drawings: I

Figure "1 isa side elevation of a spigot with parts broken away to show a washer and spacer igure 2 is. an enlargedviewof a spindle and spigot seat shown in open position,

,Figure 3. is a'si ilar view repair shown in Fig, 2,.but in closed position, and.

Figure 4 shows a modified form ofspacergunit attached to a spindle.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

v In the particular construction shown in the drawings, a thin cupped shaped circular washer III of springy material is indicated with its peripheral portion upset to provide a downwardly pending roll or gutter ll of suificient depth and width to overlap the conventional wall surface l2 of a spigot body [3 to create a watertight seal therebetween. Its central area 14 is circumscribed by the roll or gutter H and has depending angularly formed walls 26 which connect with a bottom 41 that is concaved inwardly and upwardly a slight extent so that pressure on the bottom 4| will cause the lower end on the wall 26 mm forced outwardly. A central hole I5 is located in the bottom 4| and is made suitable for the insertion of the enlarged portion I9 of a machine screw IE to pass through it so the smaller threaded portion 25 will fit into the screw-threaded passage 11 in the spindle [8 of A spacer 20 is positioned on the enlarged portion [9 of the screw [6 and acts to preventthe washer 10 from sliding along the enlarged portion HI. A modified form of spacer 35 is provided with an undercut portion 36 to fit in the hole I5 of the washer to allow a restricted movement of the washer on the undercut portion 36 both laterally and rotatively and allow the use of a standard bolt 31 having threads 38 for fitting into threads I! and allow the spacer to be held tightly between the face of the spindle and bolt head.

When the spindle I8 is screwed down to close off the spigot, it moves the washer until its roll or gutter I I sets over the wall surface I 2 and seats tightly thereon. Continuing the pressure of etheespindle 48 on the Washer :as the latter is obstructed against downward movement by the wall surface l2, the spacer 2|] or 35 forces the central area of the bottom 4| and; its edges and walls of the washer I0 into the 4 bottom wall, said bottom wall having a hole seat space 2|, and partially flatteriingout the concavity of bottom 4| causesetheangular walls 26 to bind tightly against-theiinner jvallj 2:156: Both the engagement: of ethe wallsthe seat.

therein a screwex tending through the said hole and connectingv the dished-in portion with the val e et mg whereby the bottom wall flattens out 2a with the inner wall 21 and the gutter n with the wall surface l2 serve to bind on makes it doubly watertight.

the seats and The device while simple is effective. The whole l washer unit turns about the axial central line of-the spindle becausethe undercut. portion 36 is long enough toprevexit its binding, aridithe portion T9 of the screw I is long enough to'lp'e'rm'it a sli ntzspacmg 22 between the top "of "the spacer "and the "bottom surface .23j"'df the spindle jl8, withouteffectingf'its'leakage proof characteristics; The "assembly 6f the "is relativelyeasy "requiring on-137a s'crewdr'wer :tor itsattachment. --It is "also not necessary totalze "the caseirequired in the useof other t'ypesn'f washers, as the", gutter and central area of "the unitfmake all.necessary aiijustmentsreqdired to make it water-tight. A's'th'e washer can rotate it enables'it to change its rotaitive position and take .up on wear thatrnayoccur'infthe 'useof the deviceand lengthen its 'pe'ricd of-utility. While but two general forms of tlrei'nventi'on are shown in th'ei'drjaw'ings'anddescribed "in the specificatiorr'jit flS net-"desired jto l'i'm-it this application for fpatent "to these particular forms as it is appreciatedthat ather-forms o'f construction could bemade'tha't would use the" same i principles and-come "within the scape *bff' the appended claims. Having thus described the in-venti'on," What is claimed is: v

eem matwn w itlie" Valve :w'lrenithe wa r's closed and the flaring side wallsiarecforoedltorassume the cylindrical shape of. the cylindrical opening in the valve seat.

2. "The cbmloinat-i'on set forth in claim 1, said screw-.imeans consisting of a screw depending from the valve stem and having a head and a threaded steam, and a'Chol-low spacer about said stern .extenamgbetween the screw heaaxand the vallvestem. f

3. The combination set forth in"'cTa'i-m 1, "said .screw means consisting. a screw having a head anda threaded stem and "a "hollow f'spac'er'abnut said. .stem extending between 'the" screw "head andTJtl-ie'valve s'tefn, said spacerhavm an'outer ishoulder received 'in thef openinginthe aforesweetened-1n portifin 'of thei'washer.

' 'TI IIRAiMRHARDING.

REFERENGES-CITEB llhefollowi ng referencesare of record in the 23301881 Gor'a -'oet. 531943 

